Early in the morning, one night after Professor Deus and Ex had attacked, Chloe has come to visit like usual.
Her Takumi Points have all been used up but it seems that Sasha is lending her some.
“Takumi-dono, is it true that the seal on Kar-nee has been released?”
Chloe knew about the situation with Karna before I could speak to her about it.
“Aah, she’s sleeping right now but she temporarily returned. Why do you ask?”
“I heard from grandpa. That Kar-nee’s seal was broken”
“It’s unfortunate that you couldn’t meet. She told me to say hi to Kuu-chan for her”
“…I see”
Karna’s seal was noticed by the Ancient Dragon it seems.
Was he cautious of her, or worried for her I wonder.
“The trigger was the feeling of wanting to protect you it seems. The method for releasing the seal relies not on strength but love she said”
“L-Love is it…..”
Chloe turns red as she stares at Karna hanging on my waist.
Karna seemed to turn slightly red too.
“A seal that’s released with love. How nice. I too used to dream of such a thing”
Sasha joins the conversation while carrying over breakfast.
It’s the rice gruel she sometimes made when we were adventurers.
She asked to be put on food duty for today so I left it all to her.
“After retiring as an adventurer and returning to the royal palace, I was always waiting. For a wonderful man to come take me away”
For some reason, Sasha looked at me with sparkling eyes as she spoke.
I felt a mysterious pressure on me so I avert my gaze and eat my breakfast.
Yup, it’s like I remembered but could do with a bit more salt. About one sprinkle more perhaps.
“How nice, I’d love something like that myself. Taking me away while mowing down all the other dragon clans”
Chloe’s excitement causes her dragon accent to come out.
Yeah, I don’t think anyone like that exists.
Not just Sasha, now Chloe is gazing at me with sparkling eyes.
The pressure increased tenfold to the point that it was crushing me. Every nerve in my body focused wholeheartedly on continuing to eat. But then…..
“Please stop you two. Don’t speak of such cliche delusions before Takumi-san”
Reia joins the fray.
“That wonderful man will not appear at the royal palace or the dragon nest. Having realised that true happiness was by his side, he will live forever together with his beloved disciple”
“What, that’s not dramatic at all”
“I agree. After all, forbidden love is the tried and true way. Two lovers torn apart by the country, but even then their destiny… that sort of thing would be lovely”
The three start talking about their ideal love story, turning into a great debate. This is bad. If I get caught up in it then it’ll be troublesome.
Carrying my gruel with me, I stealthily run away and exit the cave.
“…..You’re as popular as ever, Takkun”
Karna, who only speaks to me a few times a day in order to conserve strength, mumbles.
“By the way, I like the scenario when after being captured by the villain, they discover love for the first time when being saved. What do you like Takkun?”
I’m not good with that sort of thing though.
But I don’t get to talk with Karna that much so I try to give an answer.
“The two have feelings for each other but never notice and live out their lives. Something like that is nice maybe”
“Hah? What’s up with that? It never even started! The love will end! You surprised me!”
Not too long ago I was busy just trying to live by myself, I didn’t have the time to consider loving someone else.
“Well, that’s just like you, Takkun. But what if they realised before they died?”
“N-Nah, we won’t know until it happens…..”
I’m already caught up in a situation, if I were to fall in love at this time…..
“I’d probably pretend they didn’t notice”
“Why! Surely that’s a no go!”
Karna, who declared that she isn’t able to talk much, is talking quite a bit. Is this really okay?
“We-Well, I’ll know at least. When that happens you can come to me for advice”
“Yes yes, thanks for that”
Then the conversation ended and Karna went to sleep. Or so I thought.
“…..Takkun”
“Huh? Are you not sleeping?”
“It’s better if you know. You’re being watched”
In a panic I was about to look around but Karna stops me.
“It’s better if you don’t move. I can’t see them, I don’t know where they are. They’re hiding their presence well. They’re probably just scouting, act like you don’t notice”
“Aah, got it”
“Don’t worry, if anything happens I can always…..”
Karna goes back to sleep.
It seems that the next assassin after Professor Deus is already nearby.
Just like Karna said, it’s time to eat rice gruel as if nothing happened.
“As expected of Takumi-san, you noticed”
“Aah”
Reia and the others exit from the cave.
She must have noticed their presence as well.
“That happiness is right next to you”
“No! That’s not what I noticed!”
It seems the great love debate is still ongoing.
“They must be observing from a fairly distant location. I can’t grasp their presence either”
We reenter the cave and discuss the unseen enemy.
If Reia can’t sense them then they must be a fairly adept scout.
“Normally you wouldn’t be able to come without using Takumi Points. To be able to come close means they likely slipped in alongside Professor Deus last night”
“Are they related to Professor Deus?”
“They’re likely acting separately. I spoke to Professor Deus and he wouldn’t lie to us”
Sasha had a good eye for people even back in our adventuring days.
If she says so then there’s no doubt about it.
“We shouldn’t take any unnecessary actions while our opponents identity is unclear. For now we’ll have to stick to the plan and make them think we’re married”
“But if you can’t find the scout, you won’t know how long you need to pretend to be married”
“That’s true, Takumi, should we get married for real?”
“Wha!?”
“What are you saying! Something like that!”
Reia yells as if to cover up my words.
“Shhh, it was a joke Reia. Quiet down”
“Mu, guu. Is that really a joke, Sasha-dono”
Please stop making jokes that will bring Reia to slit her stomach.
“It’s alright. I’ve thought of countermeasures for this moment. I’ve got a detection specialist who can definitely find them no matter how much they try to hide their presence”
“Detection specialist? There’s someone like that in the Rushia kingdom?”
“No, there might be traitors in the kingdom. It’s a person unrelated to the kingdom we can definitely rely on”
A detection specialist unrelated to the Rushia Kingdom.
And someone that Sasha can trust absolutely.
Only one person comes to mind.
“Sasha, do you mean…..”
“Yes, I’m going to call him over”
The last of my four friends during my time as an adventurer.
Great Thief Bartz is finally making his move.
Translator’s Notes:
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